Myanmar’s Military Pardons Aung San Suu Kyi on Some Offenses, But House Arrest Remains
August 1 (Reuters) – Myanmar’s ruling military has granted pardons for former leader Aung San Suu Kyi on five out of the 19 charges she was convicted of, but she will continue to be under house arrest, according to state media and informed sources.
The pardons will result in the reduction of six years from Suu Kyi’s original 33-year prison sentence, said junta spokesperson Zaw Min Tun to the Eleven Media Group. These pardons were part of a larger amnesty that led to the release of over 7,000 prisoners across the troubled country.
Myanmar has been embroiled in violent turmoil since early 2021 when the military ousted Suu Kyi’s democratically-elected government and initiated a crackdown on opponents of military rule, resulting in imprisonments and killings.
On Monday, the junta announced the postponement of elections promised to take place by August this year and extended the state of emergency for an additional six months. Critics argue that this extension will only prolong the crisis.
The 78-year-old Nobel Laureate, who was detained during the coup, was recently transferred from prison to house arrest in the capital city of Naypyitaw. Suu Kyi denies all charges brought against her, which range from incitement and election fraud to corruption, and has been in the process of appealing against them.
The military’s State Administration Council has also reduced the jail term by four years for former president Win Myint, who was arrested alongside Suu Kyi. Both Suu Kyi and Win Myint will remain in detention, according to informed sources.
“She won’t be free from house arrest,” stated an anonymous source due to the sensitivity surrounding the issue.
The offenses for which Suu Kyi was pardoned were described as minor, including violations of COVID-19 regulations during election campaigning and breaching a natural disaster mitigation law, as reported by the source.
Suu Kyi, the daughter of Myanmar’s independence hero, first experienced house arrest in 1989 after leading massive protests against the military’s decades-long rule. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991 for her efforts in advocating for democracy and was finally released from house arrest in 2010. Her party won the 2015 election, which was held as part of military reforms, and emerged victorious again in the November 2020 election.
However, following the 2020 election, the military alleged election fraud and seized power in early 2021 to investigate these claims. Suu Kyi’s party vehemently rejected accusations of election fraud.
Numerous governments, particularly in the Western world, have called for the unconditional release of Suu Kyi and thousands of other political prisoners.
Thailand’s foreign minister confirmed last month that he had a private meeting with Suu Kyi, becoming the first foreign official to gain access to her since her detention. Don Pramudwinai stated that she was in good health and expressed support for dialogue to help resolve Myanmar’s crisis.
One diplomatic source described Tuesday’s pardons as a “cosmetic move” aimed at signaling to the international community without any substantial action, as they declined to be identified.
A spokesperson for the shadow National Unity Government, formed by Suu Kyi’s supporters and opponents of the military, stated that the partial pardons for Suu Kyi and Win Myint demonstrate that the military is feeling pressure. Not only Western countries but also neighboring countries in Southeast Asia are urging a resolution to Myanmar’s crisis.
“This is just a political trick… aimed at relieving pressure,” said spokesperson Kyaw Zaw.
“They must be released unconditionally since they were arbitrarily detained. All political prisoners must be released.”
Reporting by Reuters staff; writing by Kanupriya Kapoor; editing by Robert Birsel